The band got its first big break in the BRU Rock Hunt, an annual Battle of the Bands run by Providence commercial alternative/indie rock station 95.5 WBRU.
They have an uncanny ability to blend rock - from new wave to progressive - with ska, punk balladry, and a bit of baroque into something highly original. Miller's direct and personal songwriting derives from an unquestionable pop sensibility, while the band's sophisticated arrangements and intricate instrumentals give their songs an expansive and psychedelic edge. The band further distinguishes itself by using the electric violin as a lead instrument. Described by The Village Voice as "a cross between Eddie Van Halen and Papa John Creach," violinist Spencer Swain adds swirling textures and searing melodies that range from the pretty to the profane.
Members of the band include Eli Miller (Vocals/Guitar), John Zox (Drums/Percussion), Spencer Swain (Violin/Vocals), and Dan Edinberg (Bass/Vocals/Keys). Former members include Eli Batalion.
Currently, the band has produced three albums: Take Me Home which was released by Armo Records in 2003, The Wait which was released by SideOneDummy Records in 2006 and Line in the Sand which was released by SideOneDummy Records in 2008. The band quietly disbanded in 2009, reuniting for concerts at Lupo's in their hometown of Providence in August 2011 and October 2014.
Ghostown
Zox Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Well I live in this ghost town
The whispers from the walls will fall like feathers to the ground
And I walk upon these cemetery streets
I don't speak the language of the skeletons I meet
I live in this ghost town
And I look out on these solitary streets
Empty as an afterthought in purple pools of gasoline
Purple pools of gasoline
Olie olie olie ah
The river's all in flames
Olie olie olie ah
I can't go home again
Olie olie olie ah
This city speaks in rain
Well I live in this ghost town
The coffee burns like kerosene and the color of my world is brown
I wander through these melancholy streets
Quiet as a photograph and lonely as my vanity
Yeah, lonely as my vanity
Olie olie olie ah
The river's all in flames
Olie olie olie ah
I can't go home again
Olie olie olie ah
City's rearranged
Heh!
Olie olie olie ah
The river's all in flames
Olie olie olie ah
I can't go home again
Olie olie olie ah
City feels so strange
And I'm never gonna to leave this ghost town
And I'm never gonna to leave this ghost town
No I'm never gonna to leave this ghost town
No I'm never gonna to leave the ghost town, yeah
The song "Ghostown" by Zox is a haunting and melancholic portrayal of the singer's experience of living in a town that has been abandoned by its inhabitants. The lyrics are full of imagery that paints a vivid picture of the singer's surroundings, such as the whispers of the walls falling like feathers to the ground, the cemetery streets, and the acid in the architecture that is burning the place down. The singer is alienated from the world around him, unable to speak the language of the skeletons he meets or find solace in the melancholy streets he wanders through.
The song’s chorus repeats the mantra-like lyrics, “Olie olie olie ah, The river’s all in flames, I can’t go home again, This city speaks in rain.” This line gives an insight into the devastation that had befallen the town. The river was on fire, the singer could no longer call this place home, and everything around him is speaking a language that he cannot understand.
The song’s upbeat melody is in contrast to the somber lyrics, causing the listener to feel both melancholic and optimistic at the same time. The singer's refusal to leave the ghost town indicates his acceptance of his reality and his willingness to find beauty in the desolation of his surroundings.
Line by Line Meaning
Well I live in this ghost town
The singer resides in a rundown town that appears abandoned with little to no activity.
The whispers from the walls will fall like feathers to the ground
There are eerie noises that can be heard coming from the walls that are so quiet they fall like feathers to the ground.
And I walk upon these cemetery streets
The streets resemble a burial site and are completely void of any activity.
I don't speak the language of the skeletons I meet
The town is so deserted that the only inhabitants are skeletons, and the singer feels disconnected from them.
The acid in the architecture is burning the place down
The town's structures are in such disrepair that they are decaying and falling apart on their own
And I look out on these solitary streets
The town's streets are empty and void of any sign of life or movement.
Empty as an afterthought in purple pools of gasoline
The streets are desolate and are covered in pools of stale gas that have turned purple, giving it a toxic feel.
The river's all in flames
The scenery surrounding the community is apocalyptic with rivers of fire.
I can't go home again
The singer is already in a bad place that they see as unchangeable, and there is no turning back from it.
This city speaks in rain
The climate is dreary and rainy, giving the environment an even more melancholic feel.
The coffee burns like kerosene and the color of my world is brown
Everything is in disarray with even the simplest of pleasures like coffee causing discomfort and the town possesses a dull and monotonous look.
I wander through these melancholy streets
The singer moves through the empty streets, lost in thought and consumed by the sadness of the surroundings.
Quiet as a photograph and lonely as my vanity
The environment is calm and still as a photograph, yet the singer is alone and consumed by self-doubt.
City's rearranged
The town is in such a state of abandonment that it appears to be incapable of the tasks that would maintain its integrity.
And I'm never gonna to leave this ghost town
The singer feels trapped in the town's lifeless state and does not see any viable means of escape.
No I'm never gonna to leave this ghost town
Despite the harsh realities and bleak prospects, the singer has come to terms with the idea of staying in the ghost town indefinitely.
No I'm never gonna to leave the ghost town, yeah
The singer has accepted and become comfortable with the idea of living in an uneventful place.
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